August 10, 2011

Saints waive LB Clark, add T Black

Clark, 34, started 10 games last season for the Saints and had been seen playing with the starters in training camp so far.

The veteran had been challenging presumptive starters Scott Shanle and Jonathan Casillas. But with a bevy of new additions at the position, including second round pick Martez Wilson, seventh round pick Nate Bussey and free agent veteran additions Will Herring and Clint Ingram, Clark was squeezed in a numbers game.

Also on the roster at outside linebacker are returnees Jo-Lonn Dunbar and Ramon Humber.

The Saints cut Hamilton to provide him time to sign on with another team, instead of stringing him along through training camp. Clark's release, though certainly partially attributable to the weathering of age, is also coming from the same courtesy.

Black, 6'5, 305, was a fifth round pick of the Chiefs in 2005 out of Notre Dame. He started 25 games for the Chiefs from 2005-2006, signed in Houston in 2007 but never started and was cut before camp in 2008. He was out of the NFL for most of the 2008 season before signing in Jacksonville, and started nine games last season. He was cut by the Jaguars in early February and had been a free agent since.